A school in Tilehurst that got told to improve has bounced back to achieve a clean bill of health from education inspectors.

King’s Academy Prospect located in Cockney Hill has achieved a ‘Good’ rating from schools inspector Ofsted.

The inspectors were glowing in their praise for both students and staff at the school.

The latest Ofsted report states: “Pupils are aspirational and rightly optimistic about their futures. Leaders set high expectations for pupils’ learning, behaviour and wider development, which are routinely put into practice.

“Pupils’ achievement is good overall across all year groups, including in the sixth form.

“They receive very effective support and guidance which helps them make informed, positive choices about what they do when they leave school.

“Pupils are, therefore, prepared well for the next stages in their lives. Pupils learn to be respectful and responsible.

“Most pupils enjoy school and are kind to each other. Bullying is not a major issue. Pupils recognise the diversity of their community, valuing the differences between people’s backgrounds.”

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The inspectors also observed that pupils take on leadership roles such as house captains or ‘anti-bullying’ ambassadors, who make a substantial contribution to the ‘life’ of the school.

Furthermore, older pupils were praised for coaching the learning of their younger peers, giving an example of sixth form student leaders developing support for pupils’ mental health.

All in all, the school was praised for cultivating a ‘very positive culture’.

At its last full inspection in April 2019, it received a ‘Requires Improvement’ rating, with inspectors criticising the school for inconsistent teaching, disrupted classes and high pupil absences.

This was followed up by three monitoring visits from November 2020 to July 2021.

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The school has made an impressive comeback, being judged ‘Good’ for the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and its sixth form provision.

Headteacher David Littlemore noted that low level disruption has ‘all but been eliminated in lessons.’

Prospect was rated ‘Outstanding’ for leadership and management, with inspectors stating that senior staff are “focussed fully on making sure all pupils achieve their best.”

Celebrating the achievement, Mr Littlemore said: “I am absolutely delighted for all members of our school community that Ofsted have recognised that King’s Academy Prospect is a ‘Good’ school and I am certain that this validation will ensure that we are able to continue to improve and develop even more and even faster.

“I am very grateful to everyone who has supported the school in recent years; we know at times that is has been extremely challenging but this has been a team effort involving all of our school community and I know that we will continue to go from strength to strength.”

The latest inspection took place on October 4-5, with the report being published on November 30.

The visit was undertaken by inspectors Matthew Haynes, Allison Robb-Webb, Sarah Brinkley and Tom Neave.